More and more food gardens are popping up in backyards around Kimberley and Cranbrook these days. If you've caught the gardening bug and need a little planning help to make the most of your backyard garden or if you want to start gardening but don't know where to start, you'll want to join in on the first of this year's Edible Gardening Workshop Series.
Planning your Garden, the first in a series of three workshops over the growing season, will teach you how to make the most of your food garden space with smart planning. Whether you are starting from scratch, rearranging your garden space, or just want to make the most of what you have, you'll come away from the workshop with new ideas and inspired to grow. The workshop will cover several approaches for planning or rearranging a garden space, plus give hands-on demonstrations of techniques like lasagna gardening, companion planting, and no-dig potatoes.
Wildsight Kimberley/Cranbrook and the Cranbrook Food Action Committee are teaming up again this growing season to bring the Edible Gardening Workshop Series to both Kimberley and Cranbrook. The planning workshop will run from 6:30-8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13, in Kimberley and Wednesday, May 14, in Cranbrook.
"Start the gardening season off right and plan your edible garden so that you can eat the rewards all summer and fall!" said CFAC's Shannon Duncan. Planning techniques explored will include creating a flexible garden map, permaculture design, companion planting, and options for software design. "There will be plenty of opportunity to get hands-on experience learning how to build lasagna garden beds and no-dig potato beds" added Wildsight's Jessica Windle.
The intent of this series of workshops is to make edible gardening in this area more accessible and enjoyable for all. It follows the growing season, offering timely advice throughout the growing season. "Yes, our growing climate comes with some challenges, but really, so does anywhere," said Windle, "We still have a rich history of backyard gardening, including tomatoes and other hot weather lovers. Once you get started with growing your own food, it's hard to stop!"
"And once you bite into your own tomato, grab a handful of your own basil, or toss together a quick salad fresh from your own backyard," added Duncan "you'll taste the difference that your own fresh, local food makes!"
The workshops will be hosted at each community's Public Produce Garden. "We're really looking forward to building on the success from the workshops offered last year," said Duncan "It's a great opportunity for people to connect in the garden, and to learn more about our local community garden resources at the same time."
Workshop registration is $10, with take-home reference materials provided. Work/trade options are available. Gardeners of all levels of experience are welcome, as are children. Registration is at wildsight.ca/ediblegardening. For questions about either the workshops or the gardens, contact jessica@wildsight.ca or call (250) 427-9325 ext 223.